Duke Energy

The North Carolina utility company Progress Energy is among the nations leaders in solar production. Last year the utility company produced almost 70 megawatts of new solar generating capacity. The Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) says that’s the 8th highest output of all U.S. utility companies.

A new study from Duke University says new air quality standards could spur a shift away from coal power to natural gas as a means of generating electricity. A natural gas boom has already made it almost as cheap as coal to turn into electricity, but when researchers factored in new emissions standards from the Environmental Protection Agency, they found that most coal electricity will become as expensive as gas, even if gas prices rise.

Greensboro residents are upset with Duke Energy again over its tree trimming practices in the city, this time because of pruning around major transmission lines. Concerned locals are taking to Facebook and asking local leaders to do more.

A series of hearings begins today to examine how Duke Energy wants to invest in power sources over the next 20 years. The state Utilities Commission is set to hear from the utility and consumer advocacy groups about its annual Integrated Resource Plan. Duke Energy spokesman Mike Hughes says the utility plans to open new plants to keep up with North Carolina's population growth.

"Even if the per-household use of electricity is declining, the overall use of electricity is increasing," Hughes says.

Duke Energy officials have decided to retire a controversial nuclear facility in Florida. They say it will be more cost effective to shut down the Crystal River facility than to repair it. Regulatory leaders in North Carolina and Florida discussed Crystal River's future during the merger of Duke Energy and Progress Energy. Spokesman Mike Hughes says the utility used a repair scenario analysis to make the decision.

The first of three City Council subcommittee meetings takes place Monday morning as lawmakers begin drafting a new tree ordinance for the city. Strong turnout is expected from residents, many of who were outraged last month after Duke Energy cut down dozens of trees in residential neighborhoods.

Many residents in Greensboro are upset with Duke Energy over the company's practice of pruning, and in some cases cutting, neighborhood trees. Frustrated citizens started two Facebook groups, collected 15-hundred signatures for a petition and demanded that local leaders step in and help.

Ten Years ago sub contractors for Duke Energy made the rounds in several Greensboro neighborhoods, trimming and cutting trees that were too close to power lines. It sent residents who felt the pruning was too aggressive into an uproar. They complained to elected officials and Duke eventually heard about it, but nothing really changed. In fact nothing really happened at all. Last month crews returned to some neighborhoods for the first time in a decade.

State regulators have accepted the terms of a settlement with Duke Energy over its merger with Progress Energy.

The utility commission's vote was unanimous on the agreement terms announced last week. Duke Energy will move ahead with changes that include Jim Rogers' retirement as C-E-O. He plans to spend another year running the company But spokesman Tom Williams says Rogers could step away sooner.

North Carolinians are stepping up to help people in the mid-Atlantic and New England states affected by the storm. Duke Energy is sending crews to help restore power. Dave Scanzoni is a spokesman for the utility.

Dave Scanzoni:" Duke Energy has committed to send about 12-hundred line workers to the Northeast and impacted areas from Hurricane Sandy. These crews will mostly be contractors that work full time for Duke Energy largely in Florida and some from our territories in Indiana as well."

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission will check the Harris nuclear plant near Raleigh to ensure Duke Energy has fixed an unreported problem.

Progress Energy ran the plant before this year's merger with Duke Energy. An air conditioning system at an emergency operations facility was not in top working order starting in 2009. The utility fixed the problem two years later. Duke Energy spokeswoman Julie Milstead says the utility thought the issue was over. She says, "We did not report that to the NRC because we did not think it met the criteria for reportability."

Duke Energy CEO Jim Rogers was in Florida's capital of Tallahassee yesterday to testify before power regulators there. the members of the Florida Public Service Commission questioned Rogers on the leadership change at the utility and about a failing nuclear facility in that state. Rogers said despite the issues the company faces, the Sunshine State is important to the company's future.

Leoneda Inge: Duke Energy and Progress Energy promised if the companies were allowed to merge they would implement millions of dollars in utility rate cuts one month after the merger was approved. The first round of cuts comes to about 89-million dollars.

Inge: Yeah, I was just about to say, it’s about a dollar a month, hugh?

Tom Williams: It’s about a dollar month, but you know we have just begun this process